The Bachelor’s Bekah M. Responds to People Who Have an Issue With Her Age

Questions about Bekah M.’s age have been buzzing around Bachelor Nation ever since fans first noticed that particular detail had been left off of her bio. And on this week’s episode, both viewers and Bachelor star Arie Luyendyk Jr. found out that the woman he’s been falling for is 22 — 14 years his junior.

Though he was clearly shaken by the revelation, he still gave Bekah a rose at the end of their one-on-one date. Some people on Twitter weren’t quite as accepting, though, and questioned everything from her maturity level to her relationship experience to her marriage potential.

And she was fully aware of all of it.

Taking to social media, the woman at the center of the brouhaha tweeted, “The internet: BEKAH IS 12, HER LONGEST RELATIONSHIP WAS IN JR HIGH, SHE’S ARIE’S CHILD.”

She may have a point there. Maquel (who unfortunately had to leave this week when she got the news that her grandfather had passed away) is only one year older than Bekah M. As is Olivia, who went home on the premiere.

And while there were some contestants in their thirties — Lauren J., 33, Annaliese, 32, Lauren S., 31, and Bibiana, Nysha, and Brittany T., all 30 — the other ladies range in age from 25 to 29, making the majority of them around seven to 10 years younger than the leading man.

In any case, Bekah M. isn’t here for the comments or criticism. “If i’m ‘too young’ and ‘immature,’ explain how this week i did all my laundry and put it away immediately WITHOUT LEAVING IT IN A PILE ON THE COUCH FOR 3 DAYS?? #adulting #ready4marriage,” she joked. *slow clap*

if i’m “too young” and “immature”, explain how this week i did all my laundry and put it away immediately WITHOUT LEAVING IT IN A PILE ON THE COUCH FOR 3 DAYS?? #adulting#ready4marriage

Luyendyk had his own thoughts on the situation, telling Ashley Iaconetti and Ben Higgins’ Almost Famous podcast, “It did shock me that she was 22. I really expected her to be in her mid-twenties, even though she looks so young, just because we always had these really great conversations. She’s very intelligent, she’s very mature, and she really read me really well.”

He added that although there was some “inner conflict” over her age, he wasn’t ready to send her home. “I couldn’t deny the fact that there were a lot of feelings toward her. … At that point in the show, I was probably the most connected to her and that made things really difficult for me.”

The Bachelor airs Mondays at 8pm on ABC.

Do you think the age difference between Bekah and Arie is too big? Let us know @BritandCo!